LeBron shows Knicks what they are missing
Photo credit: AP | Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James (23) moves the ball around New York Knicks' Wilson Chandler as Knicks' head coach Mike D'Antoni watches in the background. (November 6, 2009)
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Nov. 6: Cavaliers 101, Knicks 91
This afterparty clearly was one everyone wanted to attend.
After a Friday morning and afternoon owned by the Yankees, LeBron James owned the night at Madison Square Garden as a sellout crowd allowed itself to be intoxicated by the confluence of greatness in one house.
Osmosis wasn't friends with the home team, however, as the Knicks mostly played the role of the Washington Generals - complete with a late rally to keep it interesting - in a 100-91 loss to James' Cavaliers.
There was some noteworthy timing with James' visit, as his favorite baseball team clinched the World Series just two days earlier. But instant karma? Not exactly. While the Yankees cruised the Canyon of Heroes Friday morning, James said he slept in his suite at the Four Seasons in midtown, a few miles from the ticker tape and the pomp of a big-city celebration.
"I should have had him come down and watch the parade," said CC Sabathia, who attended the Knicks game with Alex Rodriguez and several other Yankees. "Let him know what it's like to win in New York City."
For most of the game, broadcast nationally on ESPN, the Knicks (1-5) weren't a worthy opponent. If this roster of expiring contracts had something to prove - either by being tired of the 2010 talk or blatantly auditioning as future teammates - the players didn't show it.
In the first quarter, James had 19 of his 33 points and five of his nine assists to grab the game by the throat and the swooning Garden crowd by the waist. In his one-and-only visit to New York as a player this season before the recruiting can officially - and legally - begin July 1, James capped the first quarter with a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Cavaliers a 40-21 lead. For a moment, it appeared as if James was locked in on the Garden scoring record of 61 points set by Kobe Bryant last season.
"His first eight minutes," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said, "were ridiculous."
James' explanation of his performance (8-for-9 from the field in the first quarter) was simple: "It's just this building. This building is special."
With the Knicks looking overmatched right from the outset, James seemed to go into cruise control. The Knicks trailed by 23 points at halftime but finally showed some fight in the second half and got within 91-82 with 3:44 left. But Mo Williams hit a jumper and James sank the dagger, a fadeaway jumper at 2:47 to make it a double-digit lead again.
David Lee led the Knicks with 21 points and Larry Hughes had 18 points. Danilo Gallinari finished with 17 points, four three-pointers and a few words for James after the game.
"I told him, 'Great job, congrats,' " Gallinari said, "and he told me to keep working, keep doing my thing and keep working on my back strength." The 21-year-old added, "It's a good feeling that he respects me."
This latest defeat came after the Knicks held a players-only team meeting after Thursday's practice, which followed Wednesday's disturbing lack of intensity in a loss to the Pacers. But even D'Antoni dismissed the meeting as somewhat of a futile effort. "I've been on the other side [as a player]," he said, "and it don't work."
Not much has worked so far this season, as D'Antoni continues to search for the right formula. Even rookie Jordan Hill got off the bench for the first time since garbage time in the season opener. Hill played 4:46 and scored six points.
